Why didn't Taker succeed as the top guy?
- Thread starter Kill Dat Noize
- Start date
El Cocodrilo
Superstar
He was a cartoony gimmick in 1994... I think he still had the purple gloves at the time. I loved it, but the 1990's were all about being gritty and rebellious so the gimmick needed to evolve a bit.
By the time he had evolved into like a cult leader, you had Austin in the top spot.
2000-2003 Biker Undertaker could be the top guy in any wrestling company, especially cause he had that patriotic edge after 9/11 but he couldn't be the top guy when you have Austin and The Rock on the roster. Not to mention after that you had Eddie and others after that.
So what I'm saying is that it's all a matter of timing
By the time he had evolved into like a cult leader, you had Austin in the top spot.
2000-2003 Biker Undertaker could be the top guy in any wrestling company, especially cause he had that patriotic edge after 9/11 but he couldn't be the top guy when you have Austin and The Rock on the roster. Not to mention after that you had Eddie and others after that.
So what I'm saying is that it's all a matter of timing
scratch that biker taker was great.. but the deadman character wasn't dynamic enough to head a company
Here Comes the Pain
Superstar
He was always the 3rd or 4th guy on the roster. He was one of the top guys, but he was never THE top guy because there were always bigger drawers for the company or vince personally wanted to see certain wrestlers as the top guy.
Dude has been the main draw for wrestlemania for years with that undefeated streak tho.
Dude has been the main draw for wrestlemania for years with that undefeated streak tho.
before austin he wasn't putting up big numbers
wm13 was a huge dud
What do you mean "Before Austin"? Austin was just as big of a part of Mania 13 and those programs in 1997 as Taker was, and just as similarly Taker was a big part of the WWE programs when the company got hot.
Hot concepts and angles drive ratings and business. The WWE didnt start getting hot until Tyson got involved, McMahon turned and became the perfect heel antagonist, and they went all in on "attitude". It was similar to how the WWE didnt really take off in the 80s with Hogan until they got Lauper/Mr. T involved, and they developed "Rock n Wrestling".
Besides, when taker was champ he was going up against the white hot NWO angle, and creatively the company had been a wasteland for years so they had to win back fans slowly. Taker was always a fundamental piece during good times and bad.
Additionally, in 1997, the WWE was experiencing a lot of backstage turmoil with the real life Hart/HBK feud, which was negatively affecting the product. Ideally, Taker would have never been put in that position to headline had HBK not "lost his smile", and submarined mania to get out of doing a main event job.
Kill Dat Noize
Banned
i guess you could say he was a "transitional" top guy?
lemme ask you this though. was there ever a time in his career where you feel he COULD have been the top guy? COULD he have drawn?
TheAlbionist
Superstar
Alternate take I guess is that Taker (save for maybe the first push against Warrior/Hogan) is the only solid Main Event tier star that doesn't need a strap to cement his place near the top of the card. His character's lowest points arguably weren't losing titles, it was the urn being opened, Kane showing up, feuds with Paul Bearer... and his highest points often weren't title related... he's really the only superstar who's personal story has been consistently bigger than whatever "Championships" are currently in play... especially The Streak which was more hotly anticipated than whatever was officially "main eventing" WM for quite a few years... fans cared more about that Streak than whether Cena was going to keep/regain the strap.
His character isn't built to be the face of the company. Usually the top guy is a handsome, well-chiseled, charismatic stud. The type that guys want to be and girls want to be with. Undertaker is a quiet, methodical, and mysterious figure. It's like asking why Goku is the main character of DBZ instead of Piccolo.
Of course he could've drawn, he HAS drawn... there's even been WrestleManias where his match was treated bigger than even the title match. But given his character/image, he was never going to be the big charismatic guy who makes talk show appearances and does shyt for the kids and does commercials, etc... it just doesn't fit him. But there was never a time where he was gonna be knocked way down the card or not treated as one of the top stars. So even if he wasn't THE guy, he was one of the guys for way longer. He was one of the guys for like 20 years, some of ones who were THE guy didn't even stay at that level half as long.
people in here acting like his gimmick held him back, when in reality, his gimmick is what carried him.
take away the gimmick, and hes dan spivey at best.
no he didnt.
kurt angle was the face of smackdown.
cena is one of the main guys that chased away alot of die-hard/monetarily supportive fans. theres a reason why he always got shawn michaels heat from the crowds.
hes good money when it comes to pushing merchandise to kids tho.
take away the gimmick, and hes dan spivey at best.
no he didnt.
kurt angle was the face of smackdown.
cena is one of the main guys that chased away alot of die-hard/monetarily supportive fans. theres a reason why he always got shawn michaels heat from the crowds.
hes good money when it comes to pushing merchandise to kids tho.
Ah, Wacky, I shoulda known...
Dan Spivey...
Take away anybody's gimmick and they're not who they are. That's like saying "b-b-but if you take away the Million Dollar Man gimmick, Ted Dibiase woulda just been plain ol' Ted". Well, no shyt. Point is, WITH the gimmick, which honestly could've been trash without a person that played it right, Mean Mark became legendary. So even if he wasn't a Rock, Hogan, or Stone Cold, it's pretty hard to dismiss him as some sideshow act. We ain't talkin' about The Great Khali.
Dan Spivey...
Take away anybody's gimmick and they're not who they are. That's like saying "b-b-but if you take away the Million Dollar Man gimmick, Ted Dibiase woulda just been plain ol' Ted". Well, no shyt. Point is, WITH the gimmick, which honestly could've been trash without a person that played it right, Mean Mark became legendary. So even if he wasn't a Rock, Hogan, or Stone Cold, it's pretty hard to dismiss him as some sideshow act. We ain't talkin' about The Great Khali.
GoddamnyamanProf
Countdown to Armageddon
Same goes for HHHBut let @R=G tell you that Taker was bigger than Kang during the Attitude era
He's a great complimentary main even talent, but not someone you can build around